"…Ha, is this really the back alley?" Alicia murmured, her voice laced with disbelief.
"That's right," I replied casually, observing her reaction.
She stood frozen, staring at the opulent scenery before her. The back alley had transformed into a lavish display of grandeur, complete with elaborate decorations and people adorned with jewelry from head to toe.
Even I couldn't blame her for being stunned.
"It's absurd," she said after a moment, her voice quiet but firm. "Just a block away, there are starving children. And here…"
"Here," I interrupted, "is the shadow of the Empire in its purest form."
She turned to me, her expression conflicted. "Did all these people come here through that dark alley we just passed?"
"No," I said with a faint smile. "That alley isn't even considered an entrance. The high-ranking nobles wouldn't be caught dead using it. It's just an abandoned path."
"....."
